Do-it-yourself: How to remove soap scum

Q. I have a fiberglass shower wall and tub that have accumulated a lot of hard-water stains, soap scum and dirt. I have tried all kinds of products, and they just don't clean it. Can you help? ¿ C. Davis

A. Fiberglass surfaces are rather easy to keep clean once you get them that way, but removing existing crud could take a lot of scrubbing.

Don't use abrasive cleaners; they can dull or scratch the surface. One product worth trying is Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Bath Cleaner. This is an oversize version of the regular Mr. Clean Eraser. You will probably need several to remove a lot of accumulated grime.

Another product sometimes recommended is ordinary baking soda. Put a generous amount of baking soda on a soft, white cloth, moisten it and scrub.

Some hard-water stains can be removed by scrubbing with full-strength white vinegar. For tough stains, make a paste of vinegar and baking soda and scrub with that.

Once you get the fiberglass clean, here is how to keep it that way: After every shower or use of the tub, use a squeegee to wipe water from the flat surfaces. Then use your towel to wipe down the walls and tub, leaving them as dry as possible. The wipe-down takes only a minute or so, and it pays off by not giving the hard and soapy water a chance to form stains.

Q. I just moved into a building where the previous occupants must have played indoor baseball. There are several holes in the drywall about the size of a baseball. Is there a fast, easy way to patch these holes? ¿ G. Arnold

A. Holes in drywall aren't difficult to patch, but the job is seldom fast and easy. It is usually necessary to repaint the entire wall after patching.

As for the holes, which are often caused by the bumping of doorknobs or the corners of furniture, there are at least a dozen ways to patch them. Many do-it-yourselfers prefer to use a repair kit, sold at many home centers and on the Internet. Kits generally contain all or most of the materials needed to make the patch. Look for a kit that includes drywall joint compound, which is needed to smooth over the patch.

If you have several holes and don't want to use kits, you can buy the materials separately. Buy "setting type" joint compound, which comes in bags and lets you mix only as much as needed for the job at hand.

The following is my favorite method for patching drywall holes: Make a square pattern from cardboard that covers just the hole and draw an outline of the pattern around the hole. Neatly cut the edges of the drywall around the hole to match the pattern lines, using a sharp utility knife or a fine-toothed keyhole saw. Next, cut a piece of drywall that is about one inch larger on all sides than the pattern; this will be the patch.

Place the cardboard pattern on the back of the patch and draw its outline so that there is a margin on all sides. Cut out only the back of the patch, along the pattern lines, so that the front paper covering is left in place to form four thin flanges.

Test-fit the patch in the hole, then butter the back of the flanges and the edges of the patch with joint compound and press it in place with a six-inch-wide drywall joint knife. The paper flanges should hold the patch in place.

When the compound dries, smooth over the flanges of the patch with more joint compound; three coats are usually needed. Let each coat set up for several minutes, then carefully smooth it with a damp sponge and let it dry. This will reduce the need for sanding. When the patch is smooth and all the compound is dry, prime the patch and repaint the wall.

QUICK TIP: Reader Les Hamilton suggests trying an oscillating multi-tool for power removal of old tile grout. These small, hand-held power tools, sold under a variety of brand names that often include the word "multi," have a very rapid reciprocating action. They can be fitted with a variety of small blades that perform tasks such as sanding, sawing and scraping. Hamilton says his MultiMax tool kit, made by Dremel, includes a blade for grout removal. Dremel MultiMax kits sell for about $100.

If grout removal is one of the main reasons for buying a multi-tool, I recommend checking first to make sure a grout-removal blade is included or is available as an extra accessory. Multi-tools are excellent for working in tight places and are available in corded and battery-powered versions.

¿McClatchy-Tribune

Questions and comments should be e-mailed to Gene Austin at gaus17@aol.com. Send regular mail for Gene Austin to 1730 Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, Pa. 19422.

View the original article here

Do-it-yourself Q&A

Q. The bathroom grout in our 14-year-old house has become stained, and we haven't been able to clean it with various products, including bleach. How do we restore the color? -D. Lilly

A. Bathroom grout can pick up several difficult-to-remove types of stain, including minerals from hard water, soap scum, mildew and mold. Grout cleaners generally help, but the method of cleaning is often as important as the cleaner. It often helps to spray on the cleaner, let it work for several minutes, then scrub with a soft brush. Regular household cleaners such as Mr. Clean or Simple Green sometimes work well. Some home owners swear by oxygen-type bleach, not chlorine bleach. Others prefer special tile cleaners such as Tilex or Kaboom. When just cleaning doesn't work, a good option is to dye the grout, restoring either its original color or picking a new color. You can find grout dyes at some ceramic-tile dealers, and the Internet has many sources. One source, groutrevive.com, offers a grout-coloring kit ($43) that includes a pre-treatment, colorant, applicator brush, gloves and other materials. Available colors include white, black and several shades of gray. Cleaned or newly colored grout will stay that way longer, and be easier to clean, if the grout is coated with a sealer. Grout sealers are available from tile dealers or on the Internet.

Q. Our builder used polystyrene foam panels to insulate the ceiling over the crawl space below our kitchen addition. The floor still gets quite cold. If I remove the foam and staple high-R batt insulation between the joists, would it help? -A. Francese

A. It depends on the thickness and type of the polystyrene insulation used, but there is a good chance you can improve the insulation in the crawl-space ceiling. Polystyrene panels have insulating values ranging from about R-3.5 to about R-5 per inch of thickness. Panels two inches thick would give an R value of no more than about 10, which isn't enough for floors in even warm-climate regions, where R values of R-13 to R-19 are recommended for retrofitting floors in existing homes. In cold climates, R values of 25 to 30 are recommended. You can achieve high R values with fiberglass insulation tucked between the joists of the crawl-space ceiling, although you might be limited in the thickness of your insulation by the depth of the joists. Fiberglass insulation can be held in place with lengths of stiff wire jammed between the joists under the insulation; the wires are sold by insulation dealers. You don't mention the floor of your crawl space, but it should be covered with a layer of thick plastic sheeting to help keep moisture from migrating into the crawl space. Hold the plastic in place with bricks or stones.

Q. I cleaned my vinyl siding with a mixture of three quarts of warm water, one quart of chlorine bleach and one cup of TSP. It did a great job on the siding but left white stains like water drops on the window glass. Windex didn't remove the spots. Can you help? -Tom

A. I think that cleaning solution was too heavy on the bleach and TSP (trisodium phosphate). TSP is a very powerful cleaner, and that much bleach shouldn't be needed even if the siding has some mildew stains. A cup of bleach and a quarter-cup of TSP in a gallon of warm water might have been better. A soft brush is the best applicator, but it sounds like you used a sprayer of some sort. In any case, it is a good idea to protect windows by taping plastic sheeting to the frames. You should also rinse the surface with clear water as soon as possible.

It is possible that the glass has been etched by the mixture, but you can try this cleaning method. Test it first on a few spots in the corner of one of the window panes. Get some very fine (4-0) steel wool and soak it in Windex. Rub the stains gently at first to make sure you are not scratching the glass.

If the stains soften and come off, rinse the test area and check again for scratching. If all is well, proceed with the remaining stains. If Windex doesn't work, try the steel wool and a couple of other solutions - a quarter-cup of ammonia in a quart of warm water or a 50-50 mixture of white vinegar and water. Caution: Don't try mixing ammonia and bleach; it generates a dangerous gas.

Questions and comments should be e-mailed to Gene Austin at gaus17@aol.com. Send regular mail for Gene Austin to 1730 Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, Pa. 19422.

View the original article here

Do-it-yourself: How to remove soap scum

Q. I have a fiberglass shower wall and tub that have accumulated a lot of hard-water stains, soap scum and dirt. I have tried all kinds of products, and they just don't clean it. Can you help? ¿ C. Davis

A. Fiberglass surfaces are rather easy to keep clean once you get them that way, but removing existing crud could take a lot of scrubbing.

Don't use abrasive cleaners; they can dull or scratch the surface. One product worth trying is Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Bath Cleaner. This is an oversize version of the regular Mr. Clean Eraser. You will probably need several to remove a lot of accumulated grime.

Another product sometimes recommended is ordinary baking soda. Put a generous amount of baking soda on a soft, white cloth, moisten it and scrub.

Some hard-water stains can be removed by scrubbing with full-strength white vinegar. For tough stains, make a paste of vinegar and baking soda and scrub with that.

Once you get the fiberglass clean, here is how to keep it that way: After every shower or use of the tub, use a squeegee to wipe water from the flat surfaces. Then use your towel to wipe down the walls and tub, leaving them as dry as possible. The wipe-down takes only a minute or so, and it pays off by not giving the hard and soapy water a chance to form stains.

Q. I just moved into a building where the previous occupants must have played indoor baseball. There are several holes in the drywall about the size of a baseball. Is there a fast, easy way to patch these holes? ¿ G. Arnold

A. Holes in drywall aren't difficult to patch, but the job is seldom fast and easy. It is usually necessary to repaint the entire wall after patching.

As for the holes, which are often caused by the bumping of doorknobs or the corners of furniture, there are at least a dozen ways to patch them. Many do-it-yourselfers prefer to use a repair kit, sold at many home centers and on the Internet. Kits generally contain all or most of the materials needed to make the patch. Look for a kit that includes drywall joint compound, which is needed to smooth over the patch.

If you have several holes and don't want to use kits, you can buy the materials separately. Buy "setting type" joint compound, which comes in bags and lets you mix only as much as needed for the job at hand.

The following is my favorite method for patching drywall holes: Make a square pattern from cardboard that covers just the hole and draw an outline of the pattern around the hole. Neatly cut the edges of the drywall around the hole to match the pattern lines, using a sharp utility knife or a fine-toothed keyhole saw. Next, cut a piece of drywall that is about one inch larger on all sides than the pattern; this will be the patch.

Place the cardboard pattern on the back of the patch and draw its outline so that there is a margin on all sides. Cut out only the back of the patch, along the pattern lines, so that the front paper covering is left in place to form four thin flanges.

Test-fit the patch in the hole, then butter the back of the flanges and the edges of the patch with joint compound and press it in place with a six-inch-wide drywall joint knife. The paper flanges should hold the patch in place.

When the compound dries, smooth over the flanges of the patch with more joint compound; three coats are usually needed. Let each coat set up for several minutes, then carefully smooth it with a damp sponge and let it dry. This will reduce the need for sanding. When the patch is smooth and all the compound is dry, prime the patch and repaint the wall.

QUICK TIP: Reader Les Hamilton suggests trying an oscillating multi-tool for power removal of old tile grout. These small, hand-held power tools, sold under a variety of brand names that often include the word "multi," have a very rapid reciprocating action. They can be fitted with a variety of small blades that perform tasks such as sanding, sawing and scraping. Hamilton says his MultiMax tool kit, made by Dremel, includes a blade for grout removal. Dremel MultiMax kits sell for about $100.

If grout removal is one of the main reasons for buying a multi-tool, I recommend checking first to make sure a grout-removal blade is included or is available as an extra accessory. Multi-tools are excellent for working in tight places and are available in corded and battery-powered versions.

¿McClatchy-Tribune

Questions and comments should be e-mailed to Gene Austin at gaus17@aol.com. Send regular mail for Gene Austin to 1730 Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, Pa. 19422.

View the original article here